CHESS - Behavioral Sciences

Therapy for Two: Where to Begin When a Couple Walks In
2025-07-25 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Earn 1.0 Continuing Education* (60 mins)!
Working with couples requires a shift in therapeutic stance, pace and focus—and sometimes, a change in our expectations of ourselves and our clients. This one-hour training equips therapists to navigate the complexity of treating a relationship rather than two individuals.
We’ll cover how to structure sessions, maintain balance and boundaries, and stay focused on relational patterns rather than the pull to take sides or “fix” things. Whether couples work is a regular part of your practice or an occasional curveball, this session offers tools to strengthen your clinical grounding and confidence.
Synchronous Zoom Conference – Join and Learn from anywhere!
Cost: FREE!
Register for the Training
Hosted by the Interdisciplinary Center for Professional Development.
Speaker
Rachael Jones, MS, LMFT, CMH-P

Rachael M. Jones, LMFT, PMH-C, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, certified perinatal mental health specialist and trained divorce mediator. She is the co-founder of Trailhead Therapy in Illinois, where she specializes in perinatal mental health, trauma and couple and family relationships.
Rachael integrates evidence-based approaches, including EMDR and the Gottman Method, to support individuals, couples and families through major life transitions and stressors. A frequent speaker and educator, she presents on topics such as mental load, relational dynamics, and perinatal well-being.
Rachael brings both clinical expertise and real-life insight to her work, with a focus on practical tools that support connection and meaningful change beyond the therapy room.
Training Objectives

Define systemic thinking and how it applies to couple dynamics.
Apply at least one clinical intervention to help partners recognize conflict as part of a relational pattern.
Apply at least one strategy to maintain therapeutic balance, boundaries, and compassion when working with both partners.
Apply at least one method to structure couples sessions to support clarity, connection, and emotional safety.
